Spike TV and Electronic Arts Team Up to Celebrate ‘Maddenpalooza’ with ‘Madden NFL 09 Kickoff! Live’

Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) and Spike TV (http://www.spike.com/)are teaming up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the most successful franchise in video game history on Monday, August 11 at 11:40 PM, ET (tape delay on West Coast) with the “Madden NFL 09 Kickoff! Live” special.

It all begins with a special presentation of “Rudy” at 9:00 PM ET/PT, during which the action will cut away to host Geoff Keighley of Game Trailers TV (http://www.gametrailers.com/) LIVE from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, to begin the countdown to the release of “Madden NFL 09” at midnight. At 11:40 PM, ET/PT, the “Madden NFL 09 Kickoff! Live” special begins, continuing the countdown to the game’s release and featuring the sale of its first copy courtesy of Wal-Mart(TM).

Thousands of Madden aficionados will fill the Rose Bowl to play the game before its release at midnight, including past cover athletes and NFL superstars Marshall Faulk, Ray Lewis, Shaun Alexander and Daunte Culpepper, who all will give their impressions of the game to the audience at home. Also, the namesake, John Madden, speaks about the 20th iteration of this historic franchise and takes a look at both its past and its future.

Viewers will get an in-depth look at some of the game’s new and exciting features as Keighley meets with the game’s developers at Tiburon studios for a hands-on preview of “Madden NFL 09.” He also visits the New York Giants training camp to talk to some of the reigning Super Bowl Champions as they get their first look at the game and their player ratings.

“Madden NFL 09 Kickoff! Live” also will feature interviews with some of the artists involved with the game’s soundtrack, which includes music from the likes of Good Charlotte, Busta Rhymes and Rev Theory.